The Midget in the Closet
by Kimu Yukiko
Summary: Ichigo has finally accepted Rukia as a part of his family, but will he do when he starts to feel something a little more than friendship for her? The darkness from Rukia's past threatens to emerge as she meets someone she has been trying to avoid for weeks. How will Ichigo react when he finds out about that which haunts her still?
1. Prologue

Hello!

I'm new around here, and this is my first ever fanfic, dedicated to my favourite anime couple ever! I hope you enjoy it despite my lack of creativity.

I'd like to thank my awesome friend, Louise, for her neverending support and encouragement. Thank you for helping me revise my first draft and making it into what it is now. This could not have been made possible without you. Thank you so much!

Disclaimer: I do not claim Bleach as my own. The marvellous creation was imagined and created by Kubo Tite. This fanfiction is purely for entertainment purposes.

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><p><strong>Prologue<strong>

_It is truly a magical thing,_

_How the strongest glimmer of hope,_

_Can be given from the heart of a young girl,_

_And strengthened in the palm of a tiny hand_

It could not have been a pleasanter evening to be outside one's abode, relishing the final rays of the diminishing sunlight. Perhaps if you extended your admiring eyes to the sky, you would have observed an enchanting array of colors that ranged from crimson to pink, clumsily decorated with wisps of clouds and gently illuminated by a large orange sun as it slowly set below the horizon. There was a delicate chill to the air, but a tolerable one.

However, there was one poor soul who could not enjoy the cool breeze like anyone else outside that day. It was a forlorn young boy with a head of bright orange hair who sat by the riverside plucking blades of grass in his small hands. These actions were short-lived, however, for he haughtily threw the bunch of grass onto the ground and started pacing in miniature circles in an almost frustrated fashion, only stopping to look out at the river before continuing his small rounds.

Anyone watching him would have found his annoyed little rant almost childishly adorable, but if you bothered to look closer, you would have noticed the tears he was trying to suppress brimming at the sides of his large amber eyes.

He sat back down again and started plucking grass, unaware, that at that very moment, he was being observed by a black-haired girl who stood on the slope leading down to the riverbank. She carefully walked down towards him, treading slowly so as not to slip, and seated herself beside him.

"Hey, why are you sad?" She inquired quietly, looking out at the river, seemingly dancing as it reflected the remaining daylight.

"Who said I was sad?" The boy pouted, not looking at her either but at the handful of grass in his tiny fist. She turned to look at him.

"Do you miss someone close to you?" She asked. He refused to return her gaze but bit down on his lower lip. A single tear trickled down his red cheek, followed by a few more, until he started to shake with heavy and uncontrollable sobs.

"My mom's gone! She's never coming back and it's my fault!" He cried, rubbing his eyes. "Yuzu and Karin and Dad are all sad because of me. No matter how much I ask, she can't come back," He rocked to and fro on the spot, clutching his knees with his head between them.

The girl didn't say anything and they sat in silence for a prolonged moment; the boy rocking back and forth and the girl turning her attention to the glistening river. When his sobs finally quieted down, she held out her hand.

"I'm Rukia, I just ran away from home." She grinned at him, flashing two rows of pearly-white teeth. He dried his tears with the back of his sleeve and wiped his hand on the back of his trousers, giving her a wavering smile in return.

"I'm Ichigo," He responded, taking her hand and shaking it. "Funny how my name means I'm supposed to protect people when I only end up hurting them." He withdrew his hand, and then stared at it. The girl had put something in his hand when she had shaken it.

"It's a protective charm from my family. I hope you treasure it." She said softly.

He held it up in the fading daylight. It was a small and could fit perfectly in his tiny palm. On it was written '守る' or 'protect' in elegant calligraphy. Below it was a clumsy yet adorable drawing of a rabbit.

"Thanks, but your drawing really sucks," He giggled and looked up, only to see her petite frame was nowhere in sight. He looked around, but it seemed like she had disappeared without a trace.

"Rukia?" He called out, suddenly feeling very alone. The last of the sun disappeared, leaving only the still night air and a dark blanket of sky.

He got up and dusted the grass of his clothes. Clutching the small charm tightly in his small hand, Ichigo awkwardly stumbled his way home.


	2. The Girl in the Street

**Chapter One- The Girl in the Street**

"GOOD MORNING _ICHIGOOOOO_!" The most irritating sound in the world was coming closer and closer.

_Damn!_ Ichigo flipped out of his bed to avoid two feet from a potential landing on his face. With his permanent scowl of annoyance, he turned to face the culprit of the ruckus.

"WHAT THE HELL IS _WRONG_ WITH YOU?" He yelled. With a swift kick to the stomach of someone he might as well deem his daily human alarm clock; he ignored the thundering impact as his father fell flat on his face one floor down in the flower bed. How he managed to miraculously survive each time, Ichigo did not know. He yawned lazily, ruffling his bedhead and ambled slowly to the bathroom to get ready for school.

"Good morning, Ichigo!" Yuzu chirped happily, carrying a tray of hot pancakes and setting them down on plates at the breakfast table where Karin sat, her legs swinging steadily under the table. Ichigo picked up a pancake and shoved it into his mouth, avoiding a scowl from Karin who had been reaching from that same one, and looked at the news on television.

"And once again the teenage boys were found unconscious in the back alleys of Karakura Town. Authorities are unsure as to whom the culprit is, but they have assured the public that they will find and capture him or her soon." The television displayed the image of a group of three boys lying on top of each other in a heap. Ichigo wasn't unnerved in the least; he could protect himself well enough to be unconcerned. He went to the door, slinging his bag over his shoulder as he trudged out.

The road to school was quite empty, with an occasional bustling street attached to it, but none that he had to go across. Ichigo hated crowds. No, that wouldn't be an accurate description. He _detested_ them. And not the crowds, but the people. Guys picked fights with him because they thought he bleached his hair which implied through a _strange series of logic_ that he was in fact a gangster of some sort. _Bleached his hair_. Ichigo wanted to_ laugh._ This was his _natural hair color, for god's sakes, so why couldn't people just leave him alone?_ He scowled at the road beneath him and almost missed the movement in his peripheral vision.

Ichigo couldn't remember what urged him to look; he wouldn't have on a normal basis, but something was out of the ordinary here. He looked to see a deserted back street where five ungainly boys were invading what could be called the personal space of a teenage girl about Ichigo's age. They were getting close; too close, with uncomforting leering grins and freak show expressions. But what surprised him most about the situation was that the girl did not look in the least bit afraid. In fact, she looked almost annoyed. She was unusually small with raven black hair, almost two heads shorter than Ichigo and of a delicate build, but Ichigo knew better than anyone never to judge someone by their looks. One of the boys put a hand on her shoulder, his face drawing closer to hers as he whispered something in her ear. Ichigo couldn't stand it any longer. He needed to do something before things got out of hand. He took one step towards the group, and then stopped in his tracks as a most bizarre turn of events took place.

One moment the girl was sighing irritably in the middle of a group of boys and then she was suddenly above them, using the boy's shoulders as an anchor to launch herself over his head in one swift motion, bringing down the full weight of her leg right onto the back of his head. He swayed slightly and then fell, his face kissing the ground. The rest of the boys stared at the girl in shock, who was indifferently dusting invisible linen off her skirt.

"You know, I really hate boys like you," She grinned devilishly. The boys charged at her. She deftly ducked a first blow, swiping her legs under the boy, causing him to flip over and hit the ground, clutching at his head. The second boy jumped at her and she dodged to the side and he skid across the pavement, turning to face her. She kicked the boy on the ground in the head and turned just in time to knock the living daylights out of the other with one quick punch. The last two boys of the bunch had retreated and were staring at her in shock. One yelled wordlessly and ran at her and the other quickly followed suit. She smiled as they sprinted at her. She actually smiled. Ichigo watched with a mild sense of admiration as with a spinning kick to the face the first one flew back into the next one and his companion had to scramble out from underneath him. He hobbled towards her stupidly, and she aimed a swift kick to his groin. He fell and gasped in pain and from a lack of air, holding his privates and making faint choking noises.

Ichigo was surprised at the last part; it was almost childish of her, like she was having fun with them. But one look to her face, and a different story was told. She looked irritated, angry, and perhaps even frustrated. She kicked the last boy in the stomach, and he wheezed, unable to account for another place to hold onto in pain. She booted his face, putting him out of his misery. With one final glance at the group of unconscious boys lying on the ground, she walked away from the scene smoothly. Ichigo could only stare at the scene that had just unfolded before him. _How could a girl so small take out an entire group of five large boys?_

Puzzled, he walked away slowly away from the scene, taking a look at his watch. He swore as he realized he had been severely delayed by the commotion, and sprinted the rest of the way to school.

Ichigo stepped through the front door of his house with his eyes closed, fatigued from the mundane drudgery otherwise known as school, and met a much unappreciated kick to the face from his father. He flew against the wall and slid down to the floor, clutching his head in pain and gritting his teeth.

"Why so forlorn, my dear boy? Never fear, daddy's here! Give me some love!" Isshin stood with his arms open wide and a large idiotic grin spread across his face. Ichigo got up, rubbing the back of his head and turned his attention to his wide-eyed younger sister.

"Yuzu, I'm not hungry. Put my food in the fridge. I'll have it later," Ichigo trudged up the stairs, ignoring his father's wails. His family stared after him until he disappeared into his room.

"What's up with him?" Isshin demanded to know.

"Well, he's been having problems at school lately. The teacher has been picking on him because of his hair." Karin explained.

"What? How do you know what daddy doesn't?" Isshin cried. "When will Ichigo ever learn to tell me anything?" He pounded on the wall in grief.

"Maybe when you grow up," came Karin's cynical reply as she sauntered off.

Ichigo threw his bag on the floor and fell onto his bed, staring at the ceiling. He had a rough day in school, with his teachers picking on him. He had already been doing his best to try and make him see he wasn't the delinquent he was made out to be. He studied hard, scored well on his tests, offered to help the teachers bring books to the staff room or stay on for extra cleaning duty since he started high school, but it didn't seem to change anything. Why did people have to judge him just because he looked like he would cause trouble? Why did his hair colour have to stand out? He would never dye it, it was a part of him and he didn't see why he had to change it for the sake of other people. Still, they really were a pain in the ass.

Ichigo looked out the window at the night sky… and a swallowtail butterfly. Ichigo jumped up from his bed and ran to the window, just in time to watch it flit out of sight. He hadn't seen one of those for a long time. He was about to return back to his bed when something caught his eye. Was that a black shoe dangling from the roof above his window? He craned his neck out the window to see the sole of the shoe disappear from sight.

_What on earth?_


	3. An Encounter on the Rooftop

sayap hitam: Sorry, I forgot to add that part in! Thanks for telling me! I've made the necessary amendments :)

Thank you for your reviews! :D

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><p><strong>Chapter Two- An Encounter on the Rooftop<strong>

_"What on earth?"_ Ichigo ran up the stairs two at the time until he reached the attic. Looking around the room cluttered with their old toys, dusty from a year of neglect, he hastened towards the window. Unlocking it and opening it wide on its hinges, Ichigo climbed out the window, placing one foot on the outer ledge. Once he was assured he had maintained a firm grip on his narrow foothold, he gripped onto the roof tiles above him. One could never be_ too_ careful, and he wasn't sure if he had the same level of endurance from constantly falling of the second floor as his father. Taking a deep breath, he hoisted himself onto the roof with a grunt and scrambled to reach for higher tiles.

As the last inch of his foot reached the edge of the roof, he lay flat against the roof tiles and trying to catch his breath, and then his eyes widened significantly. He was not alone. Just four meters in front of him was a girl not much older than him with raven black hair. With a start, he recognized her as the same girl from earlier on in the day who had beaten up the boys in the middle of the street! She was sitting cross-legged and staring out at the empty road, perfectly oblivious to his presence. The angle of the roof allowed him to see her, but she was unable to get a glimpse of him. Ichigo grew visibly agitated. _What the hell is she doing on our roof?_

_"Hey!_ What do you think you're doing?" He shouted, scrambling to get a foothold on the roof tiles in an attempt to stand up on them. She looked up at him in surprise, not expecting anyone to have seen her. Ichigo stood with his legs wide apart for a better stance and with a mild sense of achievement as he faced her. She was so much shorter than him, and had beautiful oddly violet eyes that penetrated his own, mysterious and alluring. Ichigo felt like whacking himself for thinking that.

He hastily stumbled towards her, trying not to slip. Seeing him approach, she looked around and then tumbled backwards, sliding skillfully down the roof tiles to get close enough for a jump to the opposite roof. Ichigo skidded to a halt and looked at her with increasing anxiety, and then at the opposite roof. _It's too far away._

"Stop!" He yelled,rushing forward and catching the back of her nightdress just as she was about to start running, turning her around to face him.

"You want to explain to me what exactly you're doing up here?" He demanded, holding tightly onto her shoulders as she tried to wriggle vigorously out of his grasp. He felt his fingers start to loosen, and it wasn't on his own accord. _Man, she was strong. _At last she relented and stopped moving, pouting slightly and breathing heavily from the effort. Ichigo released her shoulders slightly and looked at her questioningly. She looked up at him, her eyes reflecting a wide-eyed fear. He looked into them with expectation.

"I…I-" She stammered, looking up at Ichigo with her glistening large round violet eyes. Ichigo felt he could drown in the depths of them. She looked around almost uncertainly, her eyes flickering from his face to the roof tiles in an almost guilty fashion… and then punched him straight in the gut. Ichigo keeled over, holding onto his stomach in pain. He _did not _see that one coming.

"Hey! Get back here!" He gasped, reaching out to her with his hand as she darted away. Her back was facing him and she was about to attempt a second running jump for the opposite roof. Just then, a thundering voice rose up from below.

"Ichigo, what are you doing up there? What's all that noise?" He heard his father's deep voice echoing up the staircase through the window. They both paused in surprise, and Ichigo saw his chance. He leaped at her, tackling her to the ground with him and covering her mouth. She struggled vehemently but he wouldn't let go.

"Ichigo? Where are you?" His father boomed.

"Hey, dad!" Ichigo's head appeared upside down at the window with a wide smile.

"Son! What are you doing up there?".

"Uh, nothing, just getting some fresh night air."

"Well, get your ass inside! You're making too much noise; you're going to disturb the neighbors." Isshin folded his arms. _Shit, what am I supposed to do? _Ichigo looked at the girl tucked under his arm, still struggling to break free, and looked down again to see his dad still waiting for him. Ichigo squeezed his eyes tightly shut, dreading what he was about to do. Holding the roof firmly with one hand, he stepped down onto the ledge outside the window on which he delicately balanced with one leg, before swinging himself deftly into the room, landing with a thud and putting down the girl on the floor beside him. She looked at him, slightly confused, and then back at the open window, and then at his father. His father looked at Ichigo with his eyebrows raised.

"And who is this?" Isshin asked, looking at the girl.

"Um," Ichigo hesitated, looking at her in desperation. _What was he to say? A burglar? A strange girl who goes around beating up guys who hit on her? A homeless fugitive who sleeps on people's rooftops? _

"I'm so sorry for intruding, Sir. My name is Rukia. I was kicked out of my home you see, and I lost all my friends, clothes, family, money and I have nothing left. My mother just died the other day and my stepfather refused to look after me. I didn't know what to do so I obliged when your son let me into your house saying he would be able to help me. He brought me to the roof top and tried to-" She paused and started weeping, tears pouring down her cheeks and her chest heaving with heavy sobs. Ichigo looked at her incredulously. _Quite the little actress, aren't you? _Andthen he looked at his dad, and wanted to crawl into a hole he wouldn't mind staying in for the rest of his life.

"ICHIGO, IS THIS THE KIND OF MAN I RAISED YOU TO BE? YOU BRING A GIRL UP TO THE ROOFTOP TO-" Isshin was fuming, holding his quivering index finger in Ichigo's face.

"No, dad, wait! She's lying! Listen to me," Ichigo pleaded, backing away slowly and holding his palms out in front of him. But Isshin wasn't listening. He had turned to Rukia and put a hand on her head. She stopped crying almost instantaneously and looked up at him innocently with teary eyes.

"I'm so sorry for my son's behavior, Rukia dear. Of course we'd be happy to help you in any way we can." He smiled like a doting father bestowing his favorite daughter with a large gift. And judging from the next sentence, it was exactly that. "And we would be happy to have you in our home. No worries, I'll keep my son at bay. We'll put a restraining order on him if we have to. Come on, I'll show you to your room, honey, come with me. It's just down the stairs to the left. If the design is not to your taste, we'll change it immediately." He chuckled deeply, ruffling her hair.

"Daddy," She hugged onto him tightly with such insincere gleefulness it made Ichigo want to puke. He hugged her back without any suspicion of any ulterior motives she might have and they walked out of the room together. Meanwhile, Ichigo was just staring open-mouthed at what was happening in shock and growing sense of despair. _What the hell just happened? Wait a second… Just down the stairs to the left?_

"Wait, she's going to sleep in my room? Then where am I supposed to go?" He yelled. His father stopped and turned towards him just outside the door.

"You're a grown boy now, go figure it out. Just curl up in the fetal position in that corner and repent your sins. Take a hike, hippie!" His father turned back to the girl, the anger in his features disappearing quickly and were replaced with a loving smile as he walked down the stairs. Rukia stopped just outside the door to turn and wink at Ichigo before she bounded after him.

_She winked at me. That calculating little bitch. _

He looked out the window at the night sky. Someone up there must have it in for him.


	4. A Living Nightmare

**Chapter Three- A Living Nightmare **

Upon hearing the clang of pots and running water, Ichigo opened his eyes to an unfamiliar scene. He was lying on the living room couch. _What am I doing here?_ He tried to sit up, only to grasp at his aching neck in pain. The couch had been too small for his body and he had been forced to lay his head on the supremely stiff armrest for an entire night. To add to his woes, he had a horrible throbbing headache. His scowl deepened as he recalled why he had to lie in such an uncomfortable place throughout the night. He had to sleep on the couch because that little shit was occupying _his _room. _How could his dad do this to him?_ Did he treasure a random stranger over his own son? Well, that was possible with the way he treated him. But he would treat his daughters better.

Maybe he could get Yuzu or Karin to rebel and then Isshin would be forced to send her away! He knew his father might be able to abuse his only son, but his dad couldn't stand his precious daughters turning against him. Ichigo hopped off the couch to find Yuzu and Karin in an attempt to turn them against the girl before they managed to meet her. As he approached the dining room, he got the strong urge to punch something.

His entire family plus the new girl were seated happily around the table, erupting in peals of joy and laughter and happiness and whatever merry crap they were pulling off. Yuzu was serving blueberry tarts and hot chocolate, Isshin was booming with laughter and the girl looking as peaceful as ever sitting next to Karin, blissfully unaware that she had just ruined perhaps forever any possible happiness he could have had.

_Wait._ _She is sitting next to Karin. They were getting along. Why did this have to happen? _If there was one person he thought he could count on to be unfriendly towards the latest addition to the household, it would be the tomboyish and headstrong Karin. But she looked perfectly fine sitting next to a complete stranger and they looked like they were getting along. His last hope had failed him. Ichigo felt like ramming his head repeatedly against the wall. _This can't be happening._

"My boy, come and join your family for breakfast!" Isshin beckoned him downstairs. _Family? Well, I've got news for you dad, taking in a random girl off the street, no, off the rooftop, and putting her in my bedroom doesn't make her part of this family! _Ichigo's scowl deepened and he sat down, purposefully ignoring the girl sitting opposite him.

"Hey, did you know? Rukia Nee-san is fifteen too!" Yuzu exclaimed excitedly. "Maybe you can go to the same high school!" _What?_ _Rukia Nee-san? Yuzu and Karin's big sister? Looks like his entire family had already accepted her as one of their own. Just wonderful. _

"Uh yeah, beautiful," Ichigo waved the statement away as if it were a pesky fly, shoving two tarts into his mouth at the same time. _Pig, _the girl opposite him mouthed. He threw her a malicious death glare in return. If he had a sword right now, he would have taken it out and chased her to the next block. She could go stay in a storm drain for all he cared, but certainly _not_ in his own home.

"I'm going to school now," Ichigo declared, quickly getting up before his father could make any objections. He was desperate to leave, and he pretended not to hear his sister call out to him in objection as he ran out of the house.

"I'm so sorry about his behavior, Rukia. He wasn't always like this…" Rukia looked at him curiously.

"What do you mean, father?" She asked.

"I don't think it's my place to tell you. When he feels it's the right time, he'll inform you himself. For now, please try to forgive him. He doesn't mean the things he says and does; well at least most of the time. He'll warm up to you eventually, I'm sure of it."

"That's okay, really. I'm just really glad to have a proper…" She trailed off, looking around at the three of them. "Family," She continued, looking down at the checkered table cloth.

"Rukia!" She looked up to see a tearing Yuzu and Isshin.

"Wait, don't cry!"

"No, honey, it's okay. We know your situation. Come on, let's get you dressed. Ichigo's going to have a _hell of a time_ with this!" Isshin chuckled heartily. Rukia nodded in agreement and ran upstairs to get her things from Ichigo's bedroom. It was a nice feeling being around this quirky family, a feeling she had not experienced before. Things at home never allowed her to act this way under any circumstances, but that was not who she was. Having to stay with her family was like a personal prison, and she hated every minute of it. Rukia was finally happy, and although she knew it couldn't last long, she would treasure it while it lasted.

"The Russian Revolution of 1917 is also called the Bolshevik Revolution or more simply, the October Revolution. Now, there were two revolutions that took place during…." Ichigo looked out the window, finding hard to concentrate on the class when there were so many things to think about. Why did this have to happen to him? When he finally thought he was recovering from_… no_, he _refused_ to even _think _about it, someone had to just make an appearance and destroy his delicately balanced world. He held his head in his hands, massaging the area just next to his eyes in an attempt to cure his emotional headache. He didn't even look up when the door opened and someone came inside… at least not until he heard her name.

"Class, I would like you to welcome our new transfer student. Even though it's the middle of the year, I trust you will all get along and extend a helping hand if necessary. Rukia, would you please introduce yourself?"

Rows of curious faces turned to look at the strange girl at the door, the most prominent of which was Ichigo who had snapped up at the mere mention of her name. He was now staring at her with disbelief. She had invaded his home and now she was in his _classroom_? This had gone _too far._

From her peripheral vision, Rukia could see the murmurs beginning to spread across the class like a wave. One girl pointed at her, making a comment to her friend. A boy gawked and whispered excitedly to his desk mate, their eyes both shining with glee. But she could see Ichigo with his orange hair standing out most of all, and his mouth was slightly open. She sighed inwardly, trying to ignore the commotion she was causing. Rukia cleared her throat and turned to face the class as the teacher gave her a reassuring nod. She stared hard at the clock on the opposite wall and recited the speech she had rehearsed with Isshin.

"Hello everyone, my name is Rukia. I like acting, high places, bunnies and closets. I hope to get along with all of you this year." She bowed curtly and straightened almost instantly in a single awkward movement. The class applauded, particular enthusiasm coming from the boys while the girls' faces carried expressions ranging from interest to disgust.

"Wonderful, Rukia, why don't you take a seat over there?" Rukia looked at the only empty seat in the entire classroom, which was diagonally in front of Ichigo. Ichigo groaned inwardly, his stomach turning in on itself: now she would be sitting in front of him and he would be _forced_ to have to see her.

Rukia put her bag on the floor and sat daintily down on the chair, praying recess would allow her to make an attempt at forming some kind of diplomatic peace accord with the boy who looked like he was about to strangle the next living creature that talked to him. She turned around slightly and was surprised to see him staring at her, but his gaze immediately dropped to the textbook on his desk.

Soon, the bell rang for recess. Rukia got up and walked over to Ichigo's table, holding out her hand.

"I'm Rukia; nice to meet you. Let's get along this year, ne?" She smiled. Ichigo just stared at her with wide eyes. _What is she thinking? Is she going to pretend we don't know each other? Well, if that's the way you want to play- _She turned her hand over. On her palm was written: _Shake. D'accord? _She was still looking at him but then gave a quick flick of her gaze to the classmates who were all staring at them. Ichigo got the message and looked at her hand for an instant, as if contemplating whether or not he should touch something so vile. He took it and shook it roughly with a hand almost twice the size of her own.

"Yeah, I guess," Ichigo replied in a deep voice, turning his attention elsewhere. Ichigo's friends had gathered around the both of them to watch. When it was made clear no further communications between the two were being made; with Ichigo staring at his textbook without any intention to read and Rukia with her arms crossed and staring into space. Finally, one boy stepped forward and grinned at her, flashing two full rows of shiny teeth and holding out his hand. He had a crooked nose and overgrown long hair, but he looked like a comical character.

"Hey, don't worry about Ichigo; he's always antisocial and unfriendly. But you can always hang out with us!" He grinned expectantly.

"Sure, thanks for the offer, uh…" She cocked her head sideways with mock embarrassment.

"Keigo, Keigo Asano," He looked delighted that she had learnt his name. Rukia smiled back, bemused at the boy. Ichigo was glaring at Keigo with obvious irritation, his eyes narrowing even closer than they already were. Keigo looked at Ichigo and then jumped back in fright.

"Hey, woah, don't get all possessive. I'm just trying to make a friend over here." Keigo shook his head frantically. Ichigo just sighed and turned his attention back to the textbook.

After Keigo initiated the starting introduction, the rest of the group introduced themselves. They were: Keigo, the goof; Mizuiro, the cougar-hunting playboy; Chad, the BFG, and Uryu, Mr. I-Can-Sew-And-Still-Look-Badass-Doing-It. She was glad to meet a couple of new people, but at the moment, she just wanted Ichigo not to hate her.

Ichigo had excused himself to his usual destination: the rooftop, clutching a sandwich which he shoved greedily into his mouth along the way. His sister made the best food ever, snacks included. He sat himself down lazily in the shadow of the air vent where it was cooler and sunlight couldn't reach him. The door to the rooftop opened and Ichigo saw the people he usually dined with emerge… along with the face he wanted to see the least.

"What is _she _doing here?" He demanded hotly, standing up and rudely implying he would be going elsewhere.

"Relax, Ichigo, I invited her." Keigo explained calmly. "I always knew you were a jerk, but can you at least pretend that you wouldn't mind getting along with the new student?" Ichigo sat back down with a grunt, sighing heavily at the seemingly unavoidable turn of events. He couldn't possibly tell his classmates about the fact that Rukia had invaded his house and was now living in it as part of his family. He ate in silence, barely listening to the incessant commentary on ridiculous affairs from Keigo, with Chad's occasional nod and Mizuiro's cynical comments. Rukia was playing the part of the perfect school girl very well, a role that didn't suit her at all, but none of his classmates were aware of her true manipulative personality.

"Hey, Rukia, are you seeing anyone?" Keigo asked. Rukia looked up in surprise, almost spitting out a mouthful of chocolate milk in the process. The lump in her cheeks disappeared as she forced herself to swallow.

"No, I'm not seeing anyone." She replied.

"What, really?" Keigo gasped in exaggerated disbelief. "But you're so pretty!" Rukia gave an awkward smile and continued sucking on her milk packet. _Pretty? Really, Keigo?_ There were a lot of adjectives he could use to describe Rukia, but _'pretty'_ didn't come to mind. Ichigo glanced at Rukia briefly, and examined her.

She was awfully short, like a dwarfed midget (if there was one), but he could see her lean muscles protruding when she held on tightly to something. Then again, she had taken out an entire group of boys, so she must have some fight in her. Tatsuki would want her on the team.

Rukia definitely wasn't the conventional image of a teenage girl for she had black hair, an uncommon sight amongst his classmates who had all dyed their hair blonde or orange, colors Ichigo didn't necessarily find appealing. Except for Tatsuki, of course, Ichigo's long-time childhood friend, but she was unusually tomboyish and was captain of the Judo team; having colored hair for her was a definite no-no. Still, Rukia seemed a bit tomboyish despite her surprisingly delicate frame and pale skin. She didn't seem like the type who would talk about boys and shopping as most other girls did.

But the thing that stood out most about her was her violet eyes, an excessively rare color and they had unfathomable depths. When he looked into them, he almost felt he could understand her, like they were making an invisible personal connection of some sort. No, that was just ridiculous. She had been turning back to look at him throughout the course of the lesson; he was aware of that, but it wasn't as if she was infatuated with him. _Who would be, after all?_ She had been looking at him with something quite similar to a scientist observing a newly discovered organism with interest and perhaps even sadness in her eyes. He flinched. _Newly discovered organism? Where did that come from? _

And now not only his family, but his friends were accepting her. That was it. She had invaded his personal space for long enough to last a month or two, and he didn't want to be involved with her again, yet she kept reappearing.

He looked around only to realize he was alone. He mustn't have heard the bell ring during his mental rant. Panicking, he jumped up and headed towards the exit only to see Chad who was waiting for him. Ichigo nodded appreciatively and took one last look at the rooftop. He wouldn't mind jumping off it right now.

The week had progressed without war breaking out in the house, thankfully, although the tension in the air seemed as if it could any moment. Ichigo refused to speak to Rukia unless he was forced to, as if he simply refused to acknowledge her presence or very existence. Why did he have to endure this kind of crap all the time? He didn't deserve this! But the thing that hurt the most was that his friends and family didn't seem to act upon his suffering but instead against it, defending Rukia instead of the person they had known for so much longer. What was so great about her? _Nothing!_ She had just wandered into their lives and _destroyed_ his. It pained him that they couldn't see her for the person who she was.

Rukia, on the other hand, was painfully aware of the strong feelings of dislike exuding from Ichigo. Well, she couldn't blame him for that. She had lied her way into his family, but she had her reasons… which he was blithely unaware of. But it wasn't like she could explain it to him. Not just yet, at least. She only wanted to get along with him for the short period of time she could stay, nothing more. Was that so difficult? But every time she tried to do something nice for him he simply ignored her. Instead, it only seemed to make him dislike her more. Isshin had told her something when she had first arrived. He had told her to give him time and that he hadn't always been such a grouch. Perhaps the truth would be revealed with time. Until then, she could only cross her fingers and wait for it to happen.

It was the sixteenth of July, and Ichigo got up, feeling even worse than usual. Looking at the calendar, he knew the reason. He stood there and stared at the date for a moment, before getting ready for school. He spent the rest of the day being unusually nice to everyone with a smile plastered on his face as it was on this day every year. Just this one day he would smile. But it wasn't a genuine smile; people close to him could see that. It was one used as a mask to conceal something else. Something darker and deeper he didn't want coming out. He could see his classmates staring at him, but that was something he could easily bring himself to ignore. As he was about to leave, he saw Tatsuki standing nearby and looked up at her. She was leaning against the lockers with her best friend Orihime. He met her eyes for a second. She looked into them knowingly and gave him a look that read _"I'm sorry"._ Ichigo gave a half-smile and walked away.

That night, a family meeting was called, and all people in the household except Rukia were present. Rukia hid in the stairwell, not wanting to intrude on their personal family meeting. The four faces around the table were forlorn.

"So, it's that time of the month again, huh." Ichigo closed his eyes and sighed, leaning back in his chair.

"What, Ichigo? Are you menstruating?" Isshin asked. Ichigo gritted his teeth in frustration. _Why did his father have to make a stupid joke out of everything?_

"Shut up, dad." Ichigo huffed, looking away in irritation.

"My beloved daughters; please ignore Ichigo's post menstrual syndrome; it affects all of us. Now, about tomorrow's schedule; Yuzu, prepare the dishes and pack them into the usual picnic box! Karin, pack the luggage! Remember to include the umbrellas in case it rains. Dismissed!" Isshin barked.

Ichigo crawled onto the couch and Rukia returned to his bedroom, her mind already made up about what she would be doing the following day. Things needed to change, and tomorrow could be the day it finally did.


	5. Things to Learn

Hello! :)

I was really nervous about this particular chapter. Both Rukia and Ichigo are kinda OOC. I poured out all negative feelings into the story when I wrote it, and it was quite a fun process, I must admit. Since both Ichigo and Rukia are humans in this story and their hearts aren't made of stone, a little feeling is warranted, eh? ^^

Thanks for reading, and I hope you'll enjoy it! :D

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><p><strong>Chapter Four- Things to Learn<strong>

Ichigo was awoken by the buzzing of his phone alarm, which might have been a refreshing change from his usual mode of waking up (courtesy of his father), but he simply couldn't bring himself to smile about anything that could possibly happen today. He turned off the alarm and crawled off the sofa, his bones aching from the cold. Outside the window, the sun was shining a lot brighter than usual, much unlike the day it happened. It had been raining as he clung to _her_ lifeless body_. If I hadn't been born, she would have lived._ It was the sixth anniversary of his mother's death, and he wanted to keep to himself.

"Why is this hill so steep? I don't think I can make it to the top."

"That's just because you don't exercise enough; I don't have any trouble. Oh no, look at Dad, he heard you. Now you've done it."

"Yuzu, hang in there! You can do it! My love for you will give you strength! Come on!" Isshin did a somersault and slipped, tumbling back down the length of the hill.

"Great. Now at least we can walk in peace for a while," Yuzu grinned vindictively and continued walking up the hill. Ichigo just stared at the ground, not wanting to think about anything.

"That's what you think!" They all turned to see Isshin running up the slope with incredible speed.

"Get away from us, you creep!" Karin yelled.

"Wait, someone's up there already. She must have come pretty early to have beaten us to the top." Yuzu stopped walking and pointed ahead. "Wait a second. Is that… Rukia?" Ichigo looked up with dread to see that it was in fact true. Rukia, dressed in a yellow dress and sun hat was waving to them from the top of the hill. She walked down the remaining distance as the family, reached the top to greet her.

"Rukia! What a pleasure it is to see you here! You didn't tell us you would be coming. Masaaki would be very pleased if she knew there was a new addition to the family." Isshin reached out to pull her into a bear hug. "I'm so glad I have you as a new hope in place of my moody son."

"Rukia nee-san, we're so glad you're here!" Yuzu and Karin looked happily at their adopted sister, ready to move on with a new skip in their step. "Ichigo is being such a downer; it's so depressing having to walk beside him on a day like this. It's so much better with _you_ around!" They looked behind to see why Ichigo wasn't saying anything.

But Ichigo was just looking at the ground, his hair obscuring and casting a shadow over his face. _Enough was enough. He couldn't stand it any longer. It would have to end today._

He walked up to her and gruffly took her hand, pulling her away from his family as she had to run to keep up with his long strides. He brought her into the forest beside the graveyard and let her go, turning around to face her. Rukia flexed her hand behind her, turning her wrist on its socket. Looking down, she saw a couple of red lines stretch across her arm near the hand.

"Okay, I just want to get this out, so do us both a favor and listen." Ichigo was filled with a building anger that he had concealed up until now. He was speaking through gritted teeth, and Rukia braced herself for the worst. Ichigo's anger was obviously aggravated by the fact it was the worst day in the year.

"You come into my house like _nothing's wrong _and _pretend_ to be so _nice_ to everyone, and I'm the only one who knows that you aren't really where you say you're from; you're not suffering from any of the shit you spew and you have been the one beating up all those guys in the street! Sometimes I can't wonder if my family is just overly nice or if they're all just stupid. I don't understand why nobody ever listens to me or gives a shit about what I think. They judge me and I have to work my brains out trying to please them and for WHAT? The world gives me nothing but _problem_ after _problem_ after _problem_ and you are just ANOTHER PROBLEM!" He jammed a finger into her face accusingly. "Why do I have to be the one to suffer? Why do YOU get to be so happy-go-lucky and _I'm-Miss-Perfect_ all the _goddamn_ time?"

"Wait, Ichigo," Rukia pleaded, but he just walked even closer, holding his face so close to hers she could feel his hot breath blowing on her face. She was forced to strain her neck to look up at him.

"I am NOT going to wait. I don't give a damn about anything anymore. Why are you even here? You know, I was finally coming to terms with everything but you just waltz in here like nothing's wrong and ruin ALL OF IT! I can't even focus on anything! Why? Because you are ALWAYS THERE TO BOTHER ME! WHY DON'T YOU JUST LEAVE ME ALONE? IS THAT SO HARD? I'M SO SICK OF SEEING YOUR STUPID FACE EVERYWHERE!" Ichigo yelled in her face.

Rukia gasped as if something was caught in her throat. _That really hurt. _Ichigo continued hurling accusations at her.

"Do you know what it's like to lose someone you love more than anyone else in the world? Did your mother die in a car crash trying to save you? No! She didn't! But mine did! And I have to suffer for the rest of my life because of it! It rains on my heart every bloody day. And what makes it worse is that my family never blamed me. Not once. Why couldn't they have blamed me? I would have felt better if they did. It's all my fault. My fault. Mine…" Ichigo trailed off and hung his head, his eyes glistening slightly.

"And nobody ever understands me. Why can't people just see I'm like anyone else? I have feelings too." Ichigo used the back of his sleeve to wipe his face. Rukia stepped towards him holding out her hands.

"Ichigo, I'm sorry. I want to be there for you, if you'd just let me." She said gently. Ichigo refused to look at her.

"No, you can't! How could you? You, the person who doesn't have a _care_ in the world! You don't know what_ I _had to go through! You have no idea so just _piss off and leave me alone!"_ Rukia looked down and stared hard at the ground, feeling tears welling up in her own eyes. She didn't want Ichigo to see. _Shit. Don't spill over; don't spill over. _

"Look, I've been trying to be nice to you but all you ever do is blow me off because you are so consumed by your hatred and pre-conceived image of me that you can't make any effort to change it. But I know what it's like to lose loved ones. I've lost more than you have in my lifetime. I had to kill the man I _loved _when we went insane and tried to stab me_._ Do you know what it's like to having to kill the person you love with your own two hands? I have to live with that guilt because I did it to save _myself, not him_. But I'm glad I've gone on with the rest of my life because if I didn't then I would be just as much of a **selfish jerk like you turned out to be!** I would be _wallowing_ in _self-pity like you!_ But I _don't_, because I _care_ about the people around me and I do what's _best_ for them. Do you? Do you think about how what you do affects others? Because your family has to deal with your all-consuming sadness and misery every day! Do you think it was easy for them? Do you think it was _easy _for your father to lose his _wife_ and for your _sisters _to have to _grow up without a mother?_ No! And I would know because I had to grow up without parents! But you care too much about yourself to worry about **them!** You think everyone has given up on _you_, but the truth is you are the one who gave up on _them!_ So don't give me your stupid reasoning about how _I _don't understand anything because I understand _a lot more than you ever could!" _She was on her toes and shouting at his face. She composed herself but her body remained rigged and uptight. With that, she turned with clenched fists and walked away from the boy now standing in the soft drizzle.

Ichigo watched her leave. _I didn't mean that. I'm sorry._ The rain started to come down heavily, soaking him and his spiky hair that now lay flat against his head.

What she said was right. He didn't know a thing about her. He had judged her. And he was sorry. But he couldn't do anything about it now. Deep down he knew he was hurting his family by acting this way. Yuzu and Karin would have been the hardest hit by the tragedy, but they held their heads high. He was the one who wore the scowl and acted like a jerk around them, and he had hurt them inside by doing so.

He looked up at the sky, his breath forming little clouds in the air. And then he sunk to his knees and put his hands on the ground. _I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. _His shoulders began shaking and his chest heaved with sobs. _It shouldn't have turned out like this. Why did things go this way? It was because of how he had acted._

And so, on the seventeenth of June, two very different people stood in the pouring rain, sharing the exact same sentiments of regret, both with rain pouring both from the sky and in their hearts.


	6. A New Beginning

Hello! :) It's been a while since I last updated this story. This particular chapter is a little short though. Well, onward to the making up after the argument! Hope you enjoy reading it! :)

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><p><strong>A New Beginning<strong>

Ichigo had sunk into a sitting position on the muddy turf, ruining his jeans, but he paid no mind. He knew he had to make amends somehow, but he wasn't sure how exactly to go about doing that. The first person he had to apologize to was Rukia. Without any specific plan in mind, he ran through the rain, looking for a small figure in a yellow dress. Trees flashed by him as he ran, rain trickling slowly down his face. _The only place you can't tell the difference between water and tears._ His heartbeat echoed the rhythm of his fast-moving feet. He blinked water from his eyes as he saw a figure in the distance. She was standing near the edge of a cliff, looking down. She took a step forward.

"What are you _doing?" _He tackled her from behind, and couldn't help but remember their meeting on the rooftop when he had done the exact same thing. That had been before everything went downhill. She elbowed his stomach and wriggled out of his grasp.

"What are you doing here? I don't want to talk to you!" She protested. Ichigo wouldn't give up. He held onto her from behind her, refusing to let her go.

"Look, I'm sorry for being such a jerk. I'm sorry for not treating you the way I should have. I would like to start over. Would you please give me another chance?" He asked, and Rukia strained her neck to look up at him. She could see sincerity in his eyes as he looked down at her. That was something she knew she could trust. His eyes never lied. She pushed on his arms softly and this time he let her go. She looked up at him and nodded. For the second time, he noticed her deep violet eyes, mysterious and bright.

"Nice to meet you. I'm Kurosaki Ichigo." He held out his hand, feeling a little weird doing so.

"Kuchiki Rukia." She smiled, accepting the gesture by taking his hand and shaking it. He pulled her in and hugged her in a single awkward movement. Ichigo had never really interacted with girls this much before, well, except for Tatsuki, and this was getting a bit too uncomfortable for him. He let go of her just as quickly. Rukia was slightly taken aback by the gesture, but she appreciated the genuine apology behind it. She noticed for the first time that it had stopped raining, but there seemed to be something more than that. The clearer sky echoed something deeper within. Ichigo felt the same way. Somehow their hearts both felt lighter. Like the rain which had dwelled there for so long had finally gone away. Ichigo was unsure as to whether it was because he now had someone to share the burden with or because there was now someone who could and would understand him for who he was. He took her hand and led her towards his mom's grave.

"I'm sorry I couldn't tell you sooner," He said sheepishly, matching his pace to her comparatively shorter one.

"That's alright. I won't want to make you say it before you want to. It's a rough wound for you that hasn't healed and it might not ever go away completely. But if you ever need someone to talk to, I'll be there. I'll wait until then." She looked at him.

"Thanks, Rukia." He said quietly. They reached the grave and stood before it. He saw the poppies his father had brought lying in front of it. With his head bowed, he kneeled before the grave with Rukia.

"Mother," He began. "I'm sorry I've been out of it for a while now, but from now on I won't be like I used to. I'll make father proud that I'm his son. I'll make my sisters proud to have an elder brother like me. I swear right here that I will make it happen. Thank you for being there for me for so long and for taking care of me. It's now my responsibility to take care of my family. I miss you so much, Mom." A solitary tear coursed down his cheek. "But I'm the one who has to take charge of the family now, and I have to be strong. I will be strong. Please watch over me." He bowed his head. Rukia smiled to see another side of him and she paid her respects to the woman who brought Ichigo into existence.

"Thank you for blessing this world with Ichigo. Even if he doesn't know it, there are a lot of people who treasure him. Please let him know you will always be with him." She said aloud. Ichigo looked at her and put an arm around her shoulder.

"Thanks, Rukia. Y'know, for being here." He smiled. Rukia's heart might have stopped. He had a gorgeous crooked smile and witwhout the frown he didn't even look like himself. He left the grave, the once-permanently etched scowl now non-existent as the two of them made their way down to the bottom of the hill to meet his family.

"Where are the twins?" He only found his father at the bottom of the slope.

"They're resting in the car." He replied. Rukia walked away to give them some space to talk.

"Dad, I'm sorry." Ichigo bowed, and his dad looked at him in surprise. "I'm sorry for not being a good son and a good elder brother to my sisters."

"While you're at it, you'd better be nicer to Rukia as well. The poor girl has been suffering because of you."

"I know, I've apologized to her. I'll be a better person." Ichigo replied firmly. Isshin looked at his son for a long while.

"I'm glad to see you've snapped out of it. Remember, Masaaki didn't give up her life so you could mope around. She gave up her life to save her one and only son, and that boy was you, Ichigo. Never forget that. She would not want you to be sad she was dead. She would want you to live on knowing that she treasured your life above hers and she would die to save you. That just shows you how much she valued your life, Ichigo. Life is a very precious yet a very delicate thing. If we go, we go, and there's nothing we can do about it. When we fall, it isn't about why we fell but what we do to get back up on our feet again." Isshin turned and started walking back towards the car. "I want you to stop scowling until you want to be cool like me at my age. You don't look good with it otherwise. Ichigo, remember, live a good long life, and if you can, die with a smile. If not, I don't know how I'm going to face her."

Ichigo smiled. "Thanks, Dad."

He took one last look at the cemetery, somehow now a different place in his eyes. The sun shone brightly on the soft earth, the wind rustling the leaves in the tree. The ends of Ichigo's mouth lifted slightly in a sad but hopeful smile as he looked up at the sky.

_Goodbye Mom. I'm off._


	7. Changes

Chapter 6 is finally out! Thanks once again, Lou, for your invaluable advice!

This particular chapter is a lot more light hearted than the previous ones. I hope you enjoy it!

Thank you for the author/ story alerts! Please continue to review :)

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><p><strong>Chapter Six- Changes<strong>

Ichigo rapped on his bedroom door impatiently, standing outside it with his hands on his hips. He had been forced to sleep on the couch ever since Rukia had started staying in his room, and he was already sick of the sore necks he'd been getting every morning. It was about twenty seconds before the door was opened by a sleepy Rukia still in Yuzu's yellow polka-dot pajamas. She craned her neck to look up at him groggily with bed hair sticking out in all directions, rubbing red puffy eyes. Her general appearance was so comical that Ichigo had to work hard to stifle the laughter that was building inside him; it was so unlike her! He cleared his throat and pushed his way into the room, turning to face her with a straight face.

"What do you want?" She asked sleepily and a little irritably.

"Well, since we're off to a new start, I'd like to set out a few boundaries and to claim a few of the things that were originally mine to begin with." Ichigo looked around his room. Rukia got the hint and stared hard at the floor, her face turning slightly pink.

"So, uh, Ichigo, about your room," Rukia mumbled, scratching the back of her head and turning her gaze to the wall behind her. Ichigo bowed down so his head would be right next to hers.

"Yeeee-ssss?" Ichigo drawled, his voice laced with sarcasm. He cupped a hand over his ear and leaned in towards her. She backed away, her face turning red and kicked him hard in shin.

"Idiot, what was that for?" He hopped on one foot, holding onto his leg.

"Whatever! Just let me stay in your closet. Deal?" Rukia shouted at him.

"My… closet?" Ichigo stopped hopping, titling his head slightly. "Why would you want to stay in there?"

"Don't make this difficult!" She stormed out of the room. Ichigo chuckled. Only that midget would be able to fit in there.

He went downstairs after washing his face to see Yuzu and Rukia sitting in front of the television, watching some weird kids program with a dumb-looking bunny jumping across the screen.

"Aren't you a bit too old for that?" He asked and they both turned to face him.

"Good morning, Ichi-nii!" Yuzu exclaimed, but Rukia looked angry. Suddenly, a flying pillow hit him in the face.

"Too old… for _Chappy?" _Rukia growled.

"Okay, you like cute little rabbits, I get it, I get it." Ichigo laughed and walked into the kitchen. Rukia stuck her tongue out at him, trembling with anger.

"I like bunnies! SO WHAT?" She yelled. Another pillow hit him with startling accuracy at the back of his head, making him spill the milk he was drinking all over his face. He glared daggers at her with milk dripping from his chin. Rukia laughed at his expression.

"You little twerp! What was that for?" He yelled.

"Look, Rukia! Chappy is singing! Isn't she just adorable?" Yuzu beamed joyfully. Rukia turned back to Yuzu and smiled affectionately.

"He sure is," She replied wholeheartedly and they both turned back to the screen. Ichigo couldn't bring himself to yell at her anymore. In fact, arguing with her was almost… enjoyable. It was nice to see Yuzu looking so delighted. He hadn't seen her look that happy for a while. He looked at Rukia with a smirk. _Like you're ever going to be the better elder sibling._

Later that day, Isshin gathered the family for an announcement.

"My beloved comrades in life… and my pathetic son, we are gathered here today so that I may lay out today's schedule. It is FAMILY DAY! As such, for the purpose of family bonding, although we will be including Ichigo, we will be having a family outing!" He declared. "And Ichigo will be paying for everything!"

"What? Who said-?" Ichigo objected, but it was unheard by his hooting family. Yuzu clapped and cheered, Karin laughed, and Rukia smiled. Okay, first we'll be going to this ultra-mega-expensive seafood restaurant, then for a movie! What do you say?"

"Yeah!" Went everyone except for Ichigo, who protested vehemently at the plan. Ichigo sighed, not being able to believe his family. He trudged upstairs to get changed and extract his wallet without any further complaints. The rest of his family bounded up the stairs after him.

Rukia followed Yuzu, bowing her head and saying sheepishly, "Yuzu, may I borrow some clothes? I'm afraid I have nothing to wear." Yuzu looked at her with her mouth open.

"Oh no! I heard from dad. Well, don't worry, you can always borrow some of my things!" She dug through the chest of the drawers frantically. Rukia couldn't help but like Yuzu, she was just _so_ sweet!

The seafood restaurant was extraordinarily fancy, and his family took a long time in deliberating what they would be eating.

"The seafood carbonara looks great!" Yuzu exclaimed.

"I think I'll go with the spaghetti Bolognese." Karin replied. Ichigo glanced over at Rukia, who was staring hard at the menu.

"I normally go with the chef's recommendations, they're usually better." He said aloud, seemingly addressing no one in particular. From the corner of his eye, he saw Rukia look up and smile at him. Warmth as well as a slight constriction occurred in the center of his chest. He scowled at the menu, wondering what the source was. The waiter who had been eyeing their table for a while now came forth and asked for their orders.

Isshin spoke first. "I'd like three hamburgers, one seafood carbonara, one spaghetti Bolognese and a glass of wine. What do you guys want?" Karin just glared at him while Ichigo snorted.

"I'd like the seafood carbonara as well, please." Yuzu piped up politely.

"The, uh, spaghetti Bolognese thing." Karin offered boredly.

"I'd like the angus loin, please." Ichigo handed the menu to the waiter, who recorded their orders, and then turned his attention to Rukia.

"And what can I get for you, miss?" He smiled over-exuberantly. Ichigo got the feeling the waiter had been waiting to take Rukia's order the whole time.

"Um," Rukia's eyes flicked through the dishes featured on the menu quickly. The waiter walked to Rukia's side and pointed out something on the menu. Ichigo's eyes narrowed at the closing of the distance between them.

"I'd try the lobster salad." He smiled a little too enthusiastically again. Rukia smiled back at him. Somehow, Ichigo couldn't stomach this little smile exchange. It was so blatantly obvious that the waiter liked Rukia, and that was just… _wrong_.

"I'll have the lobster salad, then. Thank you." Rukia beamed at the waiter, handing him her menu.

"Good choice," He replied, taking the menu as he jotted down her order. Ichigo's scowl deepened as he glared at the waiter, and then rolled his eyes, looking at the opposite wall.

"I didn't know it was the custom here for waiters to hit on female customers who patronize this place." He said aloud. The waiter looked at him, his face going red with embarrassment. Rukia bolted upright in her chair, glaring at Ichigo from across the table.

"This poor waiter is just trying to help me! I don't see why you have to criticize him for that. You should be ashamed of yourself! Stop being such a jerk!" _She's defending him now? _Ichigo didn't retort her statement, just looked away at nothing in particular.

"I'm sorry, please excuse me." The waiter bowed quickly and hurried away. Rukia and Ichigo were now looking away from each other, and the rest of their family was just staring at the two of them in shock. Conversation soon picked up again, courtesy of the ever amusing Isshin, but Ichigo kept quiet, staring at the shiny dish on the table. What exactly had driven him to say that? Thinking back, the waiter didn't deserve that kind of comment for him. He was just doing his job of providing satisfactory customer service. Ichigo didn't quite understand what was going on. Looking at Rukia smiling at Yuzu, though, he gave a small half smile to himself, and then decided it didn't really matter.

"So what movie are we going for?" Rukia inquired.

"'Romance of a Rose' and 'Death by Chainsaw' seem to be the only two good ones. And I'm definitely not going for Romance of the Two Roses." Karin looked up at the movie show times.

"Well, it looks like Death by Chainsaw is restricted to those 17 and above, so only I'll be able to watch it." Isshin cackled.

"Come on, Dad! Shouldn't we just head home?" Karin kicked her dad in the stomach.

"It's not every day Ichigo pays for a family outing! Let's watch Romance of a Rose! Don't get any ideas though, kiddos." Isshin laughed, heading towards the ticket counter. Soon, the three of them were seated in the cinema, with Isshin, Yuzu, Karin, Ichigo and Rukia, in that particular order, waiting for the movie to start.

"Gross, I can't believe we're watching a mushy romance movie." Karin snorted. The couple seated in front of them turned around and hushed her. Karin stuck out her tongue at them in return.

"Well, I don't know. I've always wanted to watch one of these!" Yuzu leaned forward in her seat excitedly and Isshin ruffled her hair. Ichigo and Rukia just stared at the screen somewhat indifferently. Soon, the movie began.

The tale was about a girl called Rose and a guy called Leonardo who met at a country fair. It was love at first sight and the two started dating almost immediately afterwards. Rukia wanted to laugh at the both of them. She had never been one for romance movies and the mushy stuff that went along with them, but this one was almost entertaining. And one of the reasons for that was the fact that Rose was so much shorter than Leonardo, that from behind they looked like father and daughter! Rukia couldn't help thinking of the height difference between herself and Ichigo. Even though she would rather not admit it, he was pretty tall and she was, well…below average. She resumed watching from her thoughts, only to see Rose and Leonardo in the middle of a passionate kiss. She found it slightly uncomfortable to watch, and looked at the rest of her family. Isshin's eyes seemed to be glinting as he watched the scene; Karin had averted her eyes while Yuzu's lips formed a straight thin line with her face growing a shade darker. Well, a kiss would certainly not be one of the things she and Ichigo would share in common with the characters.

She wondered what Ichigo's expression would be like. She looked at him from the corner of her eye, only to notice that he was looking at her from the corner of his eye as well. Her eyes widened and flicked back to the screen immediately, her face suddenly growing hot.

When the movie ended, Yuzu bounded out of her seat while Isshin had to wake a snoring Karin. Ichigo and Rukia walked quietly out of the theatre without saying a word. Upon reaching the house, Rukia and Ichigo walked into the same room, and then paused, turning to look at each other.

"So how does this work?" He asked, a bit uncomfortably.

"Well," Rukia had turned her attention elsewhere. "I'll do my stuff in the wardrobe and you do your stuff out here. Oh, if you ever want to do something, uh_, personal, _then just tell me and I'll go sleep with the girls for that night." Rukia scratched her head.

"What?" Ichigo's voice went a pitch higher.

"What do you mean 'what'? What I'm saying is that, y'know, if you ever want to have a girl over or something, just tell me, okay? I'm perfectly fine with it. If you want to do something in here without me around then I'll just sleep on the couch or something. I'm smaller than you anyway, so I should be able to fit."

"_Do something_?" Ichigo repeated in disbelief. For some reason, her little speech pissed him off. "I'm not going to be doing anything around here that's remotely related to anything that you might be thinking of, okay?" He stormed into the bathroom. Rukia watched the door slam behind him and giggled. Ichigo seemed to get embarrassed over the weirdest things!

The next day, Ichigo and Rukia walked home together, a custom they had taken to after they had resolved things. Keigo and Mizuiro, Ichigo's friends who went the same way, decided to take the longer route to gossip about the two of them. Ichigo just shrugged and rolled his eyes at any accusations that Rukia was his girlfriend. Rukia continued to play the part of the ever sweet and innocent lass, blinking her eyes and backpedalling at the mere suggestion that Ichigo might be more than just a friend.

"Are you kidding me?" She looked at him, batting her eyelids. "Who would want to date such a brute?" She giggled. Ichigo stared at her open-mouthed and then jabbed her forehead.

"Stupid," He retorted. "That statement has no basis!"

"Ah, the brute hurt me!" She clutched at her forehead. Ichigo was about to ask if she was alright, before realizing it was all just an act. He sighed and looked away.

"How could you be so mean to Ruki-chan, Ichigo?" Keigo demanded to know.

"Just shut up," Ichigo whacked Keigo across the back of his head. "Let's go home, Rukia." He trudged off. Rukia jumped up and bounded after him, calling him names, with retorts of a similar nature coming from him.

"Well, what do you think?" Mizuiro asked his friend, who was pitifully clutching the back of his head.

"How could Ichigo hit me? Wait, what?" He looked at Mizuiro.

"The two of them. Think there might be something there?" Mizuiro continued.

"Nah, just look at them. They're arguing like little kids. Ichigo's never going to get a girl, _especially _Rukia." Keigo snorted. Mizuiro just stared at the two people in the distance. Rukia kicked Ichigo's butt and he stumbled forward, turning to yell at her as she bent over laughing.

"Hmm," was all Mizuiro said. "I don't know about that."

Meanwhile, Ichigo and Rukia had finally stopped their childish bickering. They turned the corner and approached the Kurosaki Clinic. The sky was growing dark, and a small lamp illuminated the sign on the wall of the house. Ichigo stopped in his tracks and looked up at Rukia.

"Hey, Rukia," Ichigo said, and Rukia stopped walking, putting both hands above her head and stretching her back.

"Yup?" She asked.

"Would you like to go for dinner … with me tomorrow?" Ichigo asked. Rukia lowered her hands slowly, turning back to look at him incredulously.

"_What did you say?"_


	8. A Person From the Past

I recovered this after my computer died on me for about a year. Thank you for sticking with this story after so long. I really appreciate it :)

Purplepam, thank you for your comments! I know this is coming almost two years later but they really made me laugh. I'm glad you enjoyed it!

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><p><strong>Chapter Eight- A Person From the Past<strong>

"Would you like to go out for dinner… with me tomorrow night?" Ichigo's voice carried only sincerity.

She must've heard him wrong. But Ichigo's amber eyes were without a hint of amusement or playfulness, a fact that Rukia would have preferred to remain oblivious to. The sudden seriousness of the atmosphere made Rukia feel quite uncomfortable and she shifted uneasily from one foot to the other.

"Would you like to go out for dinner with me tomorrow night?" He repeated earnestly, wondering why she hadn't responded. Rukia's gaze dropped to the tarmac road, unsure of what to say. _Does he like me? That can't be right! He doesn't feel that way about me! But if that is the case, I'll just have to politely turn down the offer. But what if it was simply a friendly chat over some dinner between friends? The best thing I can do at this point in time is clear up any doubts I might have as inconspicuously as possible._

"Um, what's the occasion?" She asked hesitantly. He looked surprised that she had asked a question in return, but his face remained composed.

"Well, I just thought we should get to know each other better. You know a lot of stuff about me, and I don't really know anything about you. Well, apart from the fact that you like that stupid bunny. What was his name again? Croppy?"

"It's Chappy, dimwit, and she's a girl!" Rukia hissed, and then composed herself. "Well, if that's all it is, then sure, I guess. You didn't have to be so formal about it, you know. You could've just said 'Wanna grab a bite?' or something. That would have made things a lot less complicated for me."

"What? Did you honestly thinking I was asking you out on a date?" Ichigo teased with a grin.

"Shut up!" Rukia's face turned red as she proceeded to unlock the gate. "I'm going in for dinner!" She slammed the gate behind her as she stormed into the house.

"Idiot, I live here too, you know." Ichigo thought aloud, still smiling like a moron.

At the dining table, Ichigo made his little announcement, one that was met with drastic reactions from the rest of his family.

"Rukia and I won't be needing dinner tomorrow night, so don't cook for us okay, Yuzu?" He stated simply, but the plastic bowl in Yuzu's hands dropped to the ground and rolled around the room, coming to stop with a clatter.

"What?" She gasped, her cheeks turning pink.

"No way, son! You're going on a date with Rukia?" Isshin was flabbergasted. "I don't know what to say! I didn't know you had it in you. Be the perfect gentlemen, boy!" Isshin slapped his irritated son on the back of his head.

"Shut up! It's not a date!" Ichigo yelled, but his family didn't hear him. Karin was laughing at him and Rukia just smirked in amusement without any attempt at clearing up the misunderstanding.

"Whatever you say, Ichi-nii, you don't have to hide your feelings." Karin poked fun at her elder brother, who was getting more flustered and annoyed by the second. Ichigo just stormed up to his room without a retort, slamming the door shut behind him.

The next day, Rukia and Ichigo met at their usual location next to the lockers after school, a schedule they had arranged since they had different classroom cleaning duty days.

"We'll be going to this fancy restaurant I know. Really expensive and honestly kind of over-priced, but the food is really delicious. They're well-known around the world. It's awesome!" Ichigo seemed excited.

"Sounds great," Rukia tightened her hold on her school bag and hesitated for a moment. "Ichigo, you're going to have to head their without me, okay? There are some things I need to take care of." Ichigo decided not to question her. If she wanted to tell him, she would have done so.

"Alright, then. Meet me on 81st street. I'll walk you there. It's in the busiest and most expensive part of town, so it's easy to get lost with all the shops that look kind of the same." Ichigo waved goodbye her. Rukia watched Ichigo walk out of the school compound. Ensuring he was far out of earshot, she whipped out her handphone.

"Hello? Urahara Kisuke?" She asked.

"Ah, Ms. Kuchiki, my favorite customer! How may I help you?" A playful voice came through the receiver.

"Listen, Kisuke, I need you to do something important for me."

"I'm at your service. How may I help you?"

That night, Rukia wore a casual black dress and a red overcoat. Even if it wasn't a date, she still made an attempt to look nice. After all, Ichigo did say it would be a fancy restaurant. She turned the corner to see a tall man with orange hair leaning against the wall. Ichigo was right, the place was so full of blinding lights that Rukia felt small and lost. Glad to find the person she was looking for, she hurried towards him. He looked up and bounced back from the wall, turning to face her with a smile. It seemed like he had made an effort to dress up as well. He wore a black jacket and a white shirt, along with a well-fitting pair of pants. Rukia was quite impressed. The whole getup made Ichigo look sleek and rather refined.

"You look nice," He commented. Rukia felt her cheeks go warm and quickly turned away at the compliment. "The restaurant's that way." He pointed around the corner. Rukia walked beside him, huddling the coat closer to herself. It was an unusually chilly night and a biting wind was freezing her to the bone. She wished that she had worn something a little warmer. Ichigo suddenly stopped walking and she stopped as well, turning back to look at him. He had taken off his coat, which he was offering to her. He must have noticed her discomfort, and she rejected his offer embarrassedly.

"It's fine, really. I knew it was going to be cold so I wore a few extra layers." He helped her put the oversized coat on.

"Thanks," She replied, and they continued walking. Ichigo really was a gentleman when it came down to it.

"Well, here we are." Ichigo stopped outside the largest and grandest restaurant. From the large glass windows, they could see that the place was decorated with opulent glass chandeliers and red carpets over the marble flooring. Most of the customers were dressed to the nines, with diamond earrings, satin dresses and tuxedos. "It's Kuchiki's Dining. Been here before?" He looked at Rukia, who had on an expression he had never seen on her before. Rukia was just staring with wide eyes at the place, her face growing fearful. She walked a few steps backwards and grew pale.

"Hey, what's wrong?" Ichigo asked with concern. "Are you sick? Want me to take you home?" Rukia only nodded, bowing her head and refusing to meet his gaze. Whatever the problem was, Ichigo needed to get Rukia out of here. The place was obviously making her feel unwell, and she must have a reason for acting like this.

"Rukia?" They both turned as a man called out from behind them. "Rukia, is that really you?" A man in a waiter's outfit appeared, although he did not fit the customary image of a man who worked at the Kuchiki's. He had spiky red hair tied into a ponytail and tattoos all over his face, especially at his eyebrows. Ichigo didn't like the looks of this guy, but he seemed to know Rukia.

"Renji," Rukia looked up at the man in shock. "What are you doing here?"

"What are_ you_ doing here, Rukia?" The guy latched onto her arms, rattling her tiny frame. "Do you know what's been going on without you there? How could you just leave like that? _He's_ absolutely furious!"

"I'm sorry!" Rukia buried her face in her hands. Ichigo didn't know what was going on, and it irritated him that these two were talking about things he didn't know about. How were these two related? He wasn't sure about their relationship with each other, but he was certain he needed to step in. Rukia looked like she was about to break down, something he was unfamiliar with and didn't wish to happen.

"Could you excuse us for a moment?" He asked. The redhead shoved Ichigo to the side and jabbed his thumb at him.

"Who's this asshole?" Renji questioned Rukia accusingly. Ichigo just stared at Renji in shock, and then Rukia. Wasn't she going to defend him?

"He's… nobody. Just someone I know." She answered coldly. Ichigo could only stare at her in disbelief. The angry fire that was burning within him was extinguished as if a bucket of cold water had been poured over it. Just someone she knew? _She_ _was living in his room, for heaven's sake! _

"Good. Well, it looks like the two of us have a lot to talk about." The redhead said, implying something Ichigo was frustratingly unaware of. Ichigo anticipated Rukia's response, but was rocked when Rukia simply obliged. What had happened to the feisty midget he knew? Where had she gone to? This Rukia just nodded her head and followed the rude red haired guy.

"Rukia?" Ichigo asked tentatively. Rukia stopped in her tracks, but didn't turn around.

"Sorry, Ichigo, I need to get some things cleared up. Don't wait up." Rukia replied, starting to walk forward again. Ichigo wasn't sure what overtook him at this point, but all he knew was he had grabbed Rukia's arm and dragged her with him as he pelted down the sidewalk.

"Ow, let go!" She wormed her wrist out of his grasp. He spun around to face her.

"You want to tell me what the hell is going on around here? Who the hell was that asshole back there?" He demanded to know. Rukia intertwined her fingers, turning them slowly as she hesitated.

"He's just an old friend. It's nothing to worry about. Give me a second, I need to make a phone call. Head back first, I'll explain everything later." She muttered.

Ichigo looked at her in silence for a moment before sighing. "I'll be waiting," he said finally. She nodded, and then whipped out her phone, watching him turn the corner before she dialed the number. The phone rang for a few seconds, before a sleepy voice at the other end picked up.

"Hello? Who is calling me at such an ungodly-" A groggy voice mumbled at the other end.

"URAHARA KISUKE!" Rukia nearly screamed into the receiver. There was the sound of a large object tumbling over and breaking something in the process on the other end. Someone scrambled to get a better grip on the phone.

"Miss Kuchiki!" He tried to sound as happy as possible at the sound of her voice.

"Kisuke, do you want to tell me what the _hell_ is going on here?!"


End file.
